Image display and interaction using a mobile device

Abstract

A system and method are described for delivering content to a mobile device using a companion device. The companion device acts as a proxy device to send and receive signals on behalf of other proxied devices. Once content is loaded onto the mobile device, a user can navigate through the content using a navigation path determined based on a user's item of focus. Various transitions and animations can be displayed along the navigation path. Moreover, a user can interact with the content when viewed in a specific layout using touch events or a rotation input device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 at a mobile device with one or more processors and memory:
 establishing a wireless connection with a second device; 
 receiving using the wireless connection a first signal from the second device, the first signal indicative of a change in a collection of images accessible to the second device; 
 generating, by the mobile device, a signature of the collection of images stored in the memory of the mobile device; 
 sending using the wireless connection the signature to the second device; 
 receiving using the wireless connection a second signal generated by second device based on the signature, the second signal indicative of an identifier for each image in the collection of images accessible to the second device; 
 determining how the collection of images stored in the memory changes based on the second signal; and 
 performing an action that automatically modifies the collection of images stored in the memory based on a determined change to the collection of images stored in the memory of the mobile device. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving the first signal from the second device comprises receiving a dirty bit signaling a change to the mobile device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein generating the signature of the collection of images stored in the memory comprises generating a hash of a set of identifiers associated with each image in the collection. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving the second signal generated by second device based on the signature comprises receiving a set of identifiers associated images accessible to the second device, at least some of the identifiers having version information. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein determining how the collection of images stored in the memory changes based on the second signal comprises determining to delete an image from the collection, determining to add an image to the collection, determining to preserve an existing image in the collection, or determining to apply one or more edits to an image in the collection. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein performing the action that modifies the collection of images comprises deleting an image from memory when an identifier for the image is not present in the second signal, adding an image to the memory, requesting an image from the second device, downloading an image from the second device, performing one or more edits to an image, downloading a new version of an image, downloading a set of operations to apply to an existing image, or replacing an existing image with a new image. 
     
     
       7. A device, comprising:
 a memory; and 
 one or more processors configured to execute instructions to:
 establish a wireless connection with a second device; 
 receive using the wireless connection a first signal from the second device, the first signal indicative of a change in a collection of images accessible to the second device; 
 generate, by the device, a signature of the collection of images stored in the memory of the device; 
 send using the wireless connection the signature to the second device; 
 receive using the wireless connection a second signal generated by second device based on the signature, the second signal indicative of an identifier for each image in the collection of images accessible to the second device; 
 determine how the collection of images stored in the memory changes based on the second signal; and 
 perform an action that automatically modifies the collection of images stored in the memory based on a determined change to the collection of images stored in the memory of the device. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 7 , wherein receiving the first signal from the second device comprises receiving a dirty bit signaling a change to the device. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 7 , wherein generating the signature of the collection of images stored in the memory comprises generating a hash of a set of identifiers associated with each image in the collection. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 7 , wherein receiving the second signal generated by second device based on the signature comprises receiving a set of identifiers associated images accessible to the second device, at least some of the identifiers having version information. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 7 , wherein determining how the collection of images stored in the memory changes based on the second signal comprises determining to delete an image from the collection, determining to add an image to the collection, determining to preserve an existing image in the collection, or determining to apply one or more edits to an image in the collection. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 7 , wherein performing the action that modifies the collection of images comprises deleting an image from memory when an identifier for the image is not present in the second signal, adding an image to the memory, requesting an image from the second device, downloading an image from the second device, performing one or more edits to an image, downloading a new version of an image, downloading a set of operations to apply to an existing image, or replacing an existing image with a new image. 
     
     
       13. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device with memory, configure the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 establishing a wireless connection with a second device; 
 receiving using the wireless connection a first signal from the second device, the first signal indicative of a change in a collection of images accessible to the second device; 
 generating, by the device a signature of the collection of images stored in the memory of the device; 
 sending using the wireless connection the signature to the second device; 
 receiving using the wireless connection a second signal generated by second device based on the signature, the second signal indicative of an identifier for each image in the collection of images accessible to the second device; 
 determining how the collection of images stored in the memory changes based on the second signal; and 
 performing an action that automatically modifies the collection of images stored in the memory based on a determined change to the collection of images stored in the memory of the device. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein receiving the first signal from the second device comprises receiving a dirty bit signaling a change to the mobile device. 
     
     
       15. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein generating the signature of the collection of images stored in the memory comprises generating a hash of a set of identifiers associated with each image in the collection. 
     
     
       16. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein receiving the second signal generated by second device based on the signature comprises receiving a set of identifiers associated images accessible to the second device, at least some of the identifiers having version information. 
     
     
       17. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining how the collection of images stored in the memory changes based on the second signal comprises determining to delete an image from the collection, determining to add an image to the collection, determining to preserve an existing image in the collection, or determining to apply one or more edits to an image in the collection. 
     
     
       18. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein performing the action that modifies the collection of images comprises deleting an image from memory when an identifier for the image is not present in the second signal, adding an image to the memory, requesting an image from the second device, downloading an image from the second device, performing one or more edits to an image, downloading a new version of an image, downloading a set of operations to apply to an existing image, or replacing an existing image with a new image.